hood damage !!

[T-P Auto]

Hello;

Has anyone ever taken the hood apart on the center seam to repair damage?
(pic)

T-P Auto
Tim

[Old Crow]

We didn't take it apart at the seam, but we did take the front inner brace out to get to a couple of dings. Had to cut the clutch head screws out.

Was going to pull the center trim strip off my wife's truck to replace it, reached up inside that brace to remove the hood ornament('54)and found an original ignition key for the truck attached to a magnet. Fit not only the original ignition(for which I'd had no key at that point)but the door lock and even the rear door lock(panel truck). Score!

[msaintg]

I would pound out most of the dents while the hood is still in one piece (helps maintain the original shape). You might even consider welding the center seam like I did. My hood had a 1/8" gap at the nose and was missing the top strip. I later came back and pie cut the entire hood to give it more of a slant (I think some people call it 'pancaking' the hood)

[T-P Auto]

Hello everyone;

Thanks to;
Old Crow;
MStaintg;

The reason I was asking about the hood split is that I have done most of the work by myself.
It just looks easyer to handle as two different pieces.
I understand about keeping the shape to work with also.
With my set up of the cab being only 2" off the frame, I had though about the pie cut both ways top to bottom to drop the hood slsnt but also to pie cut the nose in at the front.
I'm not sure that I will be able to do the hose cut in due to the radiator I'm useing.
MSTaintg - your truch looks like it is close to the same color as what I'm working with.
It has given me some ideal what mine will look like once I get the hood n fenders repaired n reinstalled.
How much of a pie cut did you do to your hood?
How much trouble was it to do?
Do you think One person could do it by himself?

T-P Auto
Tim

[msaintg]

[
How much of a pie cut did you do to your hood?
How much trouble was it to do?
Do you think One person could do it by himself?

T-P Auto
Tim[/QUOTE]

I took only 1" out of the hood (note, taking 1" off the top ALSO makes the nose slant back 1", you don't have to cut it across the nose)

I was not a lot of extra trouble, the hardest part was keeping the shape up by the hinges.

Of course one person can do it by himself! I did all of the fab work on my truck by myself and I don't own a repair shop or any fancy tools. You just have to keep it in perspective.. my truck is not a show truck, but it was the best that I could do.

[T-P Auto]

MSaintg;

Thanks;

Just getting some ideals of which way to go with the front end.
The hood is going to be the biggest headache for me to work out.
It will take the londest to repair to look right.
The fenders will just take time to weld up a little at a time from the heat spot welds.

T-P Auto
Tim

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by msaintg

I took only 1" out of the hood (note, taking 1" off the top ALSO makes the nose slant back 1", you don't have to cut it across the nose)

I was not a lot of extra trouble, the hardest part was keeping the shape up by the hinges.

Of course one person can do it by himself! I did all of the fab work on my truck by myself and I don't own a repair shop or any fancy tools. You just have to keep it in perspective.. my truck is not a show truck, but it was the best that I could do.

That is awesome stuff. There is one thing I am concerned about though. It looks like you welded the skin to that support that goes across the rear of the hood. Those two need to be free from one another to move about a little. With them welded it's pretty much a sure thing that once finished off and painted there will be "ghost lines" where ever they are joined and will likely be easily seen no matter how hard you try for them not to and spend the time to make it perfectly flat.

Brian

[mr48chev]

If you were close by I'd just give you a decent hood to replace that one with. If replacement isn't an option I'd figure out how to prop it up so that I could work an area without taking it apart. I think you will need both pieced together to keep the shape and if you take it apart and beat on it you will distort that center line and have to scrap it anyhow.

When I section my hood after sectioning the body I am planning on using the bottom few inches of the 3100 hood and the top from one of the extra big truck hoods I have. the big truck hoods have a lot nicer slope too them than the small truck hoods but they won't interchange.

[T-P Auto]

Mr48chevy;

Thanks for the offer;
I will just have to take some really slow time on the hood.
I'm not much of a body person so slow will be better then fast for me.
The fenders will be wire feed welded,again slow work.
The radiator frame I how have on the project will have to be modified to fit the fenders,more fab for me to do.
The longer I looked at the project, the more I wanted to do the fenders n hood.
Just have to stop n take the time to work out the dents n the fender repairs.

T-P Auto
Tim

[BlueJeep]

I had my hood split in half, it's pretty easy. You need to remove the trim on the top, then the front hood latch brace and then one on the back. Then grind the heads off the rivets that hold them together and done. When I put mine back together I used #10 machine screws.

[MARTINSR]

I was talking to Mike in post number 8, sorry.

Brian

[T-P Auto]

To msaintg;

Like the look of your hood;

I just got my hood dents repaired n set the hood on the cab.
I think I will have to (add) 3' to the linght of the hood, due to setting the cab on the frame with out the fenders.
I set the cab back about 4' from the dist.
I do have room to move the fender forward to center over the front tires.
Plus I do not like the stance of the truck with the 15' tires on the rear.
Really want to run 14' all the way around.
Have a set of 14x10 wheels for the rear,but the fenders rub the tires.
So time to mod the rear fender about 2' wider.

T-P Auto
Tim

[DransportGarage]

T-P: Looks like that hood damage is a good reason to buy one of these!

http://www.harborfreight.com/stud-we...kit-98357.html

[T-P Auto]

Dransport Garage;
Will show a NEW pic of the hood in next post.

I took the time to work the dents out by hand(hammer n dolly) the old school way.
Can't afford the tool right now.

T-P Auto
Tim

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

T-P: Looks like that hood damage is a good reason to buy one of these!

http://www.harborfreight.com/stud-we...kit-98357.html

That hood damage has complete access from the rear, the stud gun is for when you have no access. Besides that metal is so thick the stud gun would likely cause more damage than it fixes.

Brian

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

That hood damage has complete access from the rear, the stud gun is for when you have no access. Besides that metal is so thick the stud gun would likely cause more damage than it fixes.

Brian

OK. I own a '55 second series, so didn't know. Since T-P talked about taking the hood apart for the repair I ASSUMED (which stands for "making an a$$ of u and me) there was something in the way. I'm always looking for a reason to buy new tools though...

[msaintg]

I can't imagine how you could get the fenders to fit correctly and still need to extend the hood 4 inches. the ONLY way to set everything up correctly is to have it all (hood, fenders and cab) connected together and then center the fender opening over the front wheel. Then set your mounts. I did not have hood hinges when I set up my truck (so I did not have my hood installed) and it caused a LOT of problems trying to adjust the gaps later. Rather than lengthen the hood, I would redo your mounts.

also, if you use an S10 frame, the drivetrain needs to be moved back about 5"

[T-P Auto]

msaintg;

I did not have a front clip when I set the body n bed on the frame.
I set the motor down in the mounts that the 4.3 come out of.
At that time I set the cab down just 2" off the frame.
Had I set the cab forward more I would have had to make a (REALLY) large doghouse for the trans. As is the doghouse is still very big.
There are a few pic of the doghouse in my(Frankenstine) project build.
I'm try to move the radiator forward about 2" from the gearbox for fan room(elect fans)

I have learned a lot with is project so the next one will be a lot easier to do.
Still have the fall n winter months to finish this one in.

T-P Auto
Tim

PS- Will try to get some pic of this problem, OK

[MARTINSR]

I can't say it enough, correct what is WRONG, not what is RIGHT!

You can't "move the fenders forward" without creating a mess, they can't bolt to the cab 2 inches forward, what do you plan on doing? Lengthening the hood or pancaking it takes HUGE skills, that would be a HELL of a lot harder than just moving the motor back! A HELL OF A LOT HARDER!

Just move the motor back (what is WRONG) and leave all that is RIGHT alone!


Lesson being you MUST have the front clip on when you do anything like this. You MUST see the wheels in the center of the wheel opening where they belong, THAT is a must. You work around everything else, you cut off frame mounts, you move engines, you change suspension, you do ANYTHING to be sure the wheels are in the center of the fenders wheel opening, THAT is the most important thing!

Brian

[CharlieSheen]

I'm going to have to agree with what Martin Sr. said.Sometimes you have to take a few steps back and change course.Firewall to center of wheel well is a given dimension that ain't easy to mess with.

[OrrieG]

Could you add a link to your build thread in your signature?? I have the same concerns as Martin about the clip, but looking at the install thread might show we are misinterpreting what you are saying???

[T-P Auto]

orrie;

not sure how to add a link;

just look in build n projects under"Frankenstine"

T-P Auto
Tim